Hezbollah shoots 100 rockets at Israel after elimination of key terror commander

'We are hitting Hezbollah hard every day,' Defense Minister Gallant declares

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The Lebanese terror group Hezbollah launched around 100 rockets at the northern Galilee and Golan Heights on Wednesday afternoon after Israel Defense Forces killed a senior commander of the group in a targeted strike earlier.

The IDF confirmed that about 100 rockets were launched at northern Israel, without specifying how many were intercepted. At the time of publication, there were no reports of casualties or serious damage as a result of the attack.

The Israeli military estimates that Hezbollah’s response will be similar to the last elimination of a top terror commander about three weeks ago when the group launched some 215 rockets at Israel.

🔴ELIMINATED: Muhammad Neamah Naser, the Commander of the Aziz Unit in the Hezbollah Terrorist Organization

Naser entered his position in 2016 and led the rockets and anti-tank missile attacks from southwestern Lebanon toward Israeli civilians, communities and security forces.… pic.twitter.com/Uof9YEO0fy
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 3, 2024

In the evening, Hezbollah claimed to have launched 100 rockets at the headquarters of the IDF’s Golan Division and an air defense base in Kila.

The commander was identified as Muhammad Naamah Nasr, who commanded the “Aziz” unit and was responsible for the warfare against Israel conducted from the western sector of southern Lebanon for the past several months.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the targeted operation to eliminate Nasr, Walla News reported.

Nasr was killed along with another person while they were traveling in a car in the city of Tyre.

Along with Sami Taleb Abdallah, who commanded the “Nasr” unit responsible for southern Lebanon’s eastern sector, and Wassim Tawil, who commanded the elite “Radwan” unit, Nasr is the most senior Hezbollah to be eliminated so far.

He held a rank parallel to a brigadier general, according to Army Radio.

The eliminated commanders of the Radwan, Nasser, and Aziz units represent the highest level of command in Hezbollah beside the highest and most senior level of command - members of the Jihad Council, who are the level of Hezbollah's military general staff. Should the rank of the… pic.twitter.com/oonUJqXswQ
— Israel-Alma (@Israel_Alma_org) July 4, 2024

“A tank that comes out of battle in Rafah can reach as far as the Litani [river in Lebanon],” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a first reaction to the strike.

“We are hitting Hezbollah hard every day, and we will reach full readiness and a position of strength, ready for any action or a diplomatic arrangement,” Gallant stated.

Nasr’s importance in the eyes of Hezbollah was underlined by its official statement calling the terrorist a “martyr commander,” which has so far only been reserved for Tawil and Abdallah.

According to Army Radio, Nasr was 59 years old, rose through the ranks of Hezbollah’s commando forces, and had been commanding the Aziz unit for the past eight years. He reportedly served in various key positions and was often involved in terror operations and attempted kidnappings of Israelis.

Nasr was reportedly in close contact with officials of the Iranian regime, Hezbollah’s most important backer.